TTC 2016 Construction Progress: A Year in Review

TTC 2016 Construction Progress: A Year in Review

The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is the City’s new downtown. The vision of a new downtown – a vibrant, modern urban centre for residents and businesses that encompasses all amenities of urban lifestyle from inspiring multi-use office towers, residences, open green space and urban squares, pedestrian shopping areas and restaurants, to walking and cycling paths. All coexisting with some of the most technologically advanced sustainable buildings in the world. A major feature of the VMC is the Toronto-York Spadina Subway extension into Vaughan, making it faster and easier to commute into Vaughan.

Over the past 14 years as a ward councillor, my mission has been to listen to the needs of the community and lead development projects that support the successful growth of the city. Transportation is one of the biggest community improvement projects that I pushed hard for and worked with other levels of government to better. Now in 2017,I am proud to see that the Toronto-York Spadina Subway extension is almost complete. This is the first extension of the subway system that will go outside of Toronto’s borders and into Vaughan!

ABOUT THE EXTENSION…

The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension Project will provide a critical extension for the existing Toronto Transit Commission subway system across the municipal boundary between the City of Toronto and The Regional Municipality of York (York Region). The Toronto – York Spadina Subway Extension is an 8.6 km extension from Downsview Station northwest through York University within the City of Toronto and north to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. The extension will also include five other stations: Sheppard West, Downsview Park, Finch West, York University, Pioneer Village, and Highway 407.

A LOOK INSIDE EACH STATION…

1.) Downsview Park Station – 97% Complete

This past year at Downsview Park Station focused primarily on getting all building systems installed, including ventilation, heat, lights, fire alarm, the building management system and auto-switches. Grass and trees were planted this past year around the station to complete the landscaping. Permanent lighting is installed and the coloured concrete plaza work is complete, along with covered bicycle racks and planters. Multipurpose paths to Sheppard Avenue West were completed. Work began in 2016 on a separate contract to build a GO train platform for the GO Barrie stop which will be accessed through the east entrance building.

In 2016, construction at Finch West Station focused on the traction power substation, transformer yard and the bus terminal. Road restoration work was completed, restoring Finch Avenue West to four lanes which was opened to traffic in November. Station finishing works included the installation of glass tiles throughout the station concourse, walls are covered with a variety of coloured tiles in yellow (glass tiles), grey, black and red (glass tiles). Entrance corridors are tiled in red hexagonal glass tiles, leading to the bus terminal from the concourse and to the main entrance. The terrazzo flooring reflects some of the colour scheme and includes decorative patterns. Most of the terrazzo was completed in the public areas, station platform and concourse.

Transit Connections: Finch West Station will have a five-bay bus terminal with two bus stops on Keele St. and a future connection to the Finch West LRT. This station will also have commuter parking for 358 vehicles and a passenger pick up and drop off (PPUDO) off of Tangiers Road.

3.) York University Station – 92% Complete

York University Station came above ground in 2016 with the station box completely backfilled by the early spring; this station was the last to start construction and is the final station to have its roof covered over and disappear below ground. Significant progress was made on the entrance building, the glass curtain walls in the light-well and on the east side are installed and the boomerang-shaped roof is in place. Within the station, all six escalators and two elevators and other station systems were installed while mechanical and electrical infrastructure installation continues to progress. Interior finishes, tiles, ceiling panels, lighting and terrazzo flooring were close to complete by year end. Other construction activities in the fall involved outdoor landscaping and the restoration of York University’s pathways, plaza and roads.

4.) Pioneer Village Station 96% Complete

Work in 2016 at Pioneer Village Station continued on both sides of Steeles Avenue West. The two unique entrance structures were being finished with corten (weathering) steel and glass panels. This weathering steel was also being applied to the TTC bus terminal and interior walls leading to the subway platform level. On the south side, work progressed on the main entrance building, bus terminal and landscaping. On the north side of the station, work began, under a separate contract, to build the YRT bus terminal, passenger pick-up and drop-off (PPUDO), a 1,950 space TTC commuter parking lot and a new public street off of Steeles Avenue, and an access road from Jane St., both providing access to the TTC lot

Transit Connections:
The main entrance to the subway is located on the north side of Steeles Avenue West, providing access to the YRT bus terminal, the PPUDO and TTC commuter parking lot. On the south side a 12 bay TTC bus terminal will provide connections to and from TTC routes and York University north campus. Commuter parking for 1,950 vehicles and associated access roads are located in the hydro corridor to the north of the station.

5.) Highway 407 Station 96% Complete

Highway 407 Station has already become a visual landmark for travellers on Highway 407 and Jane Street. From the air, the large bus terminal with its unusual shape and aluminum clad roof looks like a space ship. Construction progressed on all levels of the subway station and bus terminal including the installation of the bus terminal roof and landscaped berms where the structure curves down toward ground level. The finishing works for the interior of the station continue, with the installation of ceilings, ceramic wall tiles, lighting, electrical and mechanical systems, and finishing works including the terrazzo flooring. Work has progressed outside the station in the 560 spot commuter parking lot with the installation of lighting poles, electrical cables, and planting and landscaping.

Transit Connections:The main entrance to the subway is located on the north side of Steeles Avenue West, providing access to the YRT bus terminal, the PPUDO and TTC commuter parking lot. On the south side a 12 bay TTC bus terminal will provide connections to and from TTC routes and York University north campus. Commuter parking for 1,950 vehicles and associated access roads are located in the hydro corridor to the north of the station.

6.) Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station 96% Complete

In 2016 work continued on the entrance structure at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station. Layers of waterproof roof covering and skylights were embedded into the roof to allow daylight to penetrate down to the concourse level, in preparation for the final layer of zinc, standing seam metal cool roof frame. Bird friendly fritted glass was added at the north and south ends of the entrance. The Viva Bus Rapid Transit connection is accessed from the concourse level of the subway station under Highway 7. At the north end of the station, the pedestrian tunnel connection to the new YRT SmartREIT bus terminal was handed over to YRRTC for bus terminal construction. Hand over of the surface connecting structure to YRRTC to install the BRT station surface facilities was completed in mid 2016.

Transit Connections:
Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station is multi-modal transportation hub with PPUDO, connections to YRT SmartREIT bus terminal and to viva BRT on Highway 7. The passenger pick-up and drop-off areas will be located on New Park Place and Millway Avenue (beside the bus terminal).

AN EXCITING TIME FOR VAUGHAN…

The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is the superb location for companies that embrace innovation, creativity and the future economy. With the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension Project reaching completion by the end of this year, businesses will have direct access to young, talented and skilled workforce in Vaughan. Residents and visitors will also have access to the a different mode of transportation that is fast, easily accessible, and connect them to other major municipalities across the Greater Toronto Area.